The Minnesota Timberwolves will retire Kevin Garnett’s No. 21 jersey when they face another of his former clubs, the Boston Celtics, on Feb. 28, the team announced Friday.
According to ESPN, It will be the second jersey retirement for the 15-time All-Star, after the Celtics did so for the No. 5 in March 2022.
The Timberwolves in December had announced plans to honor Garnett after he agreed to a reunion with his first NBA squad and became a team ambassador. Minnesota said at the time that Garnett’s retirement ceremony would be held at some point over the next two seasons.
Garnett had been distant from the Timberwolves since his playing career ended in 2016 due to a fallout with former owner Glen Taylor. Garnett had refused to have his jersey retired by Minnesota until he built a rapport with new governors Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who agreed to buy the team in 2021.
His previous number retirement also featured the end of a rift, as Garnett embraced Ray Allen during his Celtics ceremony to resolve an issue that had loomed since Allen joined the Miami Heat as a free agent in 2012.
Garnett is the Timberwolves’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He is the only NBA player to lead a franchise in those five categories. Garnett is also the only player in Timberwolves history to win an MVP (2003-04).
He led the Timberwolves to eight straight playoff appearances between 1996-97 and 2003-04, the last of those being their only campaign with a playoff series win until their 2024 West finals run.
The Timberwolves have retired only one other number in team history: the No. 2 of Malik Sealy, who playing for Minnesota when he was killed in a car crash in May 2000.
